Amendment establishes as U.S. policy an order to priority for missile defense programs by first, ensuring operational readiness of the Armed Forces and accomplishing programmed modernization of weapons systems; second, under such modernization, funding the completion of development and deployment at the earliest date of more effective theater missile defense (TMD) systems; and, third, developing as soon as funding is available, a ground-based interceptor system capable of destroying ballistic missiles launched against the United States.